CHRISTMAS BAKING MEMORIES AND THE NEXT GEN

David grinding walnuts the old fastioned way

When my mother-in-law, Ida, died we asked for her cookbooks as David is a chef.  In them we saw special notes from her about how she made certain dishes.  There were some inserts as well: old torn envelopes with recipes scribbled on them. I should mention here that people who grew up in the time we call the Great Depression used every scrap.  A piece of paper or used envelope was often reused to jot down a new recipe.  They also cut recipes from the flour bag or the cookie package which might be stuffed in their go to cookbook. Some of Ida’s recipe inserts included letters from the sender.  My eyes got big as I recognized the handwriting on the envelopes and I teared up when I read the letters.  “Dear Ida, this is a dish I made that Patty and David like.”  It was my mother, Marjorie, writing to my mother-in-law.  Later I would find similar letters from Ida in my mother’s cookbooks. They did not live near each other.  They only met when we got married, but they had us in common, and their love of cooking. They had secretly corresponded for many years sharing their favorite dishes.  Ida and Margie were cooking penpals!

I learned a few things from this discovery.  One was if you make a recipe your own with some adjustments, it is a good idea to write the changes in the margin for the next cook.  Another was cooking could be passed down and shared with the next generation, so the best dishes wouldn't get lost.

As David and I continued our journey together we taught our children a few of those dishes and added our own.  When we moved, we gave our daughter the old cookbooks.  The best recipes were in our heads.  At our first Christmas 2024 in Hungary, David made his mother’s kifli.  Our translator wanted to know where we got those authentic Hungarian cookies.  They were passed down from his grandmother, Julianna Sachey Soltész, who was born in Hungary, to his mother and now to us.  This December 2025, a Hungarian teen English student wanted the recipe.  So, we made a video call and took him through the steps.

I am inspired now to share more of our favorites in future videos or with our English as a Second Language clients.  Stay tuned. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!